Trunk visceral fat measuring method and apparatus, trunk skeletal muscle amount measuring apparatus, trunk subcutaneous fat measuring method and apparatus, and trunk visceral and subcutaneous fat measuring method and apparatus

• US 7,925,340 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: Kasahara, Yasuhiro, Masuo, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoekstra; Jeffrey G
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENSON, DEVIN B
• Application Number:
  US11/402,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235327A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,825 Days
• Field of Search: 600/547
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus capable of measuring visceral fat tissues accumulated in the trunk with high accuracy apply a current to a body part where a subcutaneous fat tissue layer is thin or a body part where a skeletal muscle tissue layer has no or a thin muscle belly portion from a pair of current applying electrodes, measure a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes, and determine the visceral fat tissue volume of the trunk by use of the impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the measured potential difference.

Claims

1. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction, and

the method further comprises;

determining a trunk skeletal muscle tissue volume based on body specifying information;

determining impedance of trunk skeletal muscle tissue layer based on the determined trunk skeletal muscle tissue volume and the body specifying information;

determining a splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk based on the body specifying information;

determining impedance of the splanchnic organ tissue of the trunk based on the determined splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining impedance of the visceral fat tissue of the trunk based on the determined impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the trunk skeletal muscle tissue layer and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissue of the trunk; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissue of the trunk and body specifying information.

2. The trunk visceral fat measuring method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the impedance of the visceral fat tissue of the trunk based on the impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the trunk skeletal muscle tissue layer and the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissue of the trunk is characterized by an electrical equivalent circuit of the trunk in which the impedance of the trunk skeletal muscle tissue layer is connected in parallel to a series circuit of the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissue of the trunk and the impedance of the trunk visceral fat tissue.

3. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference, wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction,

in the step of applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes, the current is applied at a first frequency and a second frequency which is higher than the first frequency, and

the method further comprises;

determining impedance of a skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk based on the measured impedance of the trunk;

determining a splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk based on body specifying information;

determining impedance of splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk based on the determined splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining impedance of visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the measured impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk and the body specifying information.

5. The trunk visceral fat measuring method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the step of determining the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk is characterized by an electrical equivalent circuit of the trunk in which the impedance of the trunk skeletal muscle tissue layer is connected in parallel to a series circuit of the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk and the impedance of the trunk visceral fat tissues.

6. The trunk visceral fat measuring method of claim 3 or 4, wherein the step of determining the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk is characterized by an electrical equivalent circuit of the trunk in which each of the impedance of the subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk and the impedance of the trunk skeletal muscle tissue layer is connected in parallel to a series circuit of the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk and the impedance of the trunk visceral fat tissues.

4. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference, wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction,

in the step of applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes, the current is applied at a first frequency and a second frequency which is higher than the first frequency, and

the method further comprises;

determining a splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk based on body specifying information;

determining impedance of splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk based on the determined splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining impedance of visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the measured impedance of the trunk and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk and the body specifying information.

7. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference, wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction,

in the step of applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes, the current is applied at a first frequency and a second frequency which is higher than the first frequency, and

the method further comprises;

determining impedance of a skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk based on the measured impedance of the trunk;

determining a subcutaneous fat tissue volume of the trunk based on body specifying information;

determining impedance of a subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk based on the determined subcutaneous fat tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining a splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk based on body specifying information;

determining impedance of splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk based on the determined splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining impedance of visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the measured impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk, the determined impedance of the subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk and body specifying information.

8. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference, wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction,

in the step of applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes, the current is applied at a first frequency and a second frequency which is higher than the first frequency, and

the method further comprises;

determining a subcutaneous fat tissue volume of the trunk based on body specifying information;

determining impedance of a subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk based on the determined subcutaneous fat tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining a splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk based on the body specifying information;

determining impedance of splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk based on the determined splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information;

determining impedance of visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the measured impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk and the body specifying information.

9. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference, wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction,

a current is applied from one current applying electrode included in at least one current applying electrode pair to a body part which is a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle,

one voltage measuring electrode included in one voltage measuring electrode pair out of at least two voltage measuring electrode pairs is disposed at a position where the influence of spreading resistance right underneath the current applying electrode is predominant,

the other voltage measuring electrode is disposed at a remote position where influence of spreading resistance right underneath the current applying electrode is weak to measure a potential difference between the voltage measuring electrodes so as to obtain subcutaneous fat tissue information,

the other voltage measuring electrode pair out of at least two voltage measuring electrode pairs are disposed at a remote position where the influence of the spreading resistance right underneath the current applying electrode is weak to measure a voltage so as to obtain visceral fat tissue information,

the one voltage measuring electrode pair and the other voltage measuring electrode pair are selected to obtain the subcutaneous fat tissue layer information and the visceral fat tissue information selectively,

a subcutaneous fat tissue volume of the trunk is determined based on the impedance of the trunk which has been determined by use of the potential difference measured by the above one voltage measuring electrode pair and body specifying information,

impedance of a trunk subcutaneous fat tissue layer is determined based on the determined subcutaneous fat tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information,

a skeletal muscle tissue volume of the trunk is determined based on the body specifying information,

impedance of a skeletal muscle tissue layer is determined based on the determined skeletal muscle tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information,

a splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk is determined based on the body specifying information,

impedance of splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk is determined based on the determined splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk and the body specifying information,

impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk is determined based on the impedance of the trunk which has been determined by use of the potential difference measured by the above other voltage measuring electrode pair, the determined impedance of the subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk, and

the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk is determined based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk and the body specifying information.

10. The method described in claim 9, wherein the step of determining the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk is characterized by an electrical equivalent circuit of the trunk in which the impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk is connected in parallel to a series circuit of the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk and the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk.

11. The method described in claim 9, wherein the step of determining the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk is characterized by an electrical equivalent circuit of the trunk in which each of the impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the impedance of the subcutaneous fat tissue layer of the trunk is connected in parallel to a series circuit of the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk and the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk.

12. A trunk visceral fat measuring method comprising steps of:

applying a current from a pair of current applying electrodes to a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle;

measuring a potential difference which has occurred in the tissue through which the current has passed by a pair of voltage measuring electrodes; and

determining the visceral fat tissue amount of the trunk by use of impedance of the trunk which has been obtained by use of the potential difference, wherein;

one of the current applying electrodes and one of the voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at either the left side or the right side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the other current applying electrode and the other voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle positioned at the other side when viewed, in the trunk circumferential direction, with the navel as the center therebetween,

the pair of current applying electrodes and the pair of voltage measuring electrodes are disposed at a section between the navel and the upper border of the iliac crest or aponeurosis between the rectus abdominis muscle and the external abdominal oblique muscle, these pairs being positioned away from each other in a trunk length direction,

at least one pair of current applying electrodes or at least one pair of voltage measuring electrodes are further disposed on the navel circumferential surface or at a position distant from the navel circumferential surface in the trunk longitudinal direction by a certain distance, internal tissue information around the navel is measured in turn by a combination of the current applying electrode pair and the electrode pair,

the impedance of the trunk is measured by processing the measured information,

the impedance of the trunk is measured,

impedance of skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk is determined based on body specifying information,

impedance of splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk is determined based on the body specifying information,

impedance of visceral fat tissues of the trunk is determined based on the measured impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the determined impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk, and

the visceral fat tissue volume of the trunk is determined based on the determined impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk and the body specifying information.

13. The method described in claim 12, wherein the impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk is determined based on the skeletal muscle tissue volume of the trunk which has been determined based on body specifying information and body specifying information, and the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk is determined based on the splanchnic organ tissue volume of the trunk which has been determined based on body specifying information and body specifying information.

14. The method described in claim 12 or 13, wherein the step of determining the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk based on the impedance of the trunk, the determined impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk and the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk is characterized by an electrical equivalent circuit of the trunk in which the impedance of the skeletal muscle tissue layer of the trunk is connected in parallel to a series circuit of the impedance of the splanchnic organ tissues of the trunk and the impedance of the visceral fat tissues of the trunk.